Decks and timber work, measured before it's priced

In Queensland a deck generally needs building approval once any part of it sits more than a metre above the ground, and approval can be needed at any height depending on your block, easements, boundaries or a heritage overlay. The rule turns on your site, so it is checked with Brisbane City Council or a private building certifier before work starts. We tell you the first step at the measure-up.

Hardwood such as merbau or spotted gum is denser, takes knocks better and holds up longer outdoors, but costs more and needs oiling to keep its colour. Treated pine is cheaper and easier to work, and performs well when it is sealed and maintained. Many decks use treated pine for the hidden frame and hardwood for the boards you walk on.

A standard deck usually takes one to two weeks from the first day on site to handover, depending on size, ground conditions and weather. Raised decks, multi-level decks and anything that needs engineering or approval take longer. You get a realistic timeframe in writing once we have seen the site.

Most decks here need re-oiling every 6 to 12 months, because Brisbane's UV and humidity are hard on exposed timber. A deck in full sun needs it more often than a shaded one. Left alone, hardwood weathers to silver grey, which is a look some people choose on purpose.

Yes. Termites are active right across Brisbane and they find untreated or badly detailed timber, especially close to the ground or hard against the house. Durable or treated timber, clearance from the soil, and a yearly pest inspection are the standard ways to manage the risk.

Under the National Construction Code, a deck floor more than one metre above the ground below needs a barrier at least one metre high, with no opening a 125mm sphere can pass through. Where the drop is more than four metres, horizontal rails a child could climb are restricted as well. The balustrade is designed in from the start, not added at the end.

Timber and fixings, labour, the expected timeframe, and any council or certifier costs that apply. It also lists what is not included, such as removing an old deck or reinstating garden beds, so nothing turns up as a surprise once the job is underway.

Queensland law caps it. On a domestic job of $20,000 or more the deposit can be no more than 5% of the contract price, and from $3,301 to $19,999 no more than 10%. Ours sits inside those caps, it is written into the contract, and later payments are tied to stages of work that are actually finished.

Residential building work valued over $3,300 is covered by the QBCC Home Warranty Scheme, and the licensed contractor pays the premium before work starts. The QBCC sends you a certificate once it is lodged. Keep it with the house paperwork.

Usually around 7am. Queensland's noise rules allow audible building work from 6:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Saturday, and never on Sundays or public holidays. If you would rather the saws started later on your street, say so and we plan the noisy cuts for mid-morning.

Usually, by matching species, board width and finish as closely as they can be matched. An exact match to old sun-faded timber is not always possible, so you hear what is realistic before you commit, along with options like a blend or a transition strip where old meets new.

Often, yes. If the posts, bearers and joists are sound, replacing worn boards, re-fixing loose ones, sanding back and re-oiling costs less than a rebuild. The frame is checked first, because that decides between restoring and replacing.